This is definitely the easiest and most appealing fit tip of all, because who doesn’t like to sleep? Not only does it feel great, but spending more time in dream land will also improve your health and even help you drop weight!
Fit Tip #28: Sleep Like a Champ to Lose Weight & Feel Great
Sleep is so much more beneficial to our health than we give credit. In this day and age of “go, go, go”, where productivity seems to equate with worth, sleep is often one of the first sacrifices we make and can be a rare commodity. Don’t give into that temptation, though! Don’t skimp on sleep. At least not if you want to look great, build muscle, get sick less, feel good, and have better focus and productivity.
Here’s a rundown on the benefits of sleep, in case you need convincing that your 4 hours per night isn’t just fine for you:
Benefits of 7-8 Hours of Sleep Every Night
- Increased human growth hormone for muscle repair and growth
- Balanced hormones
- Reduced hunger & cravings
- Better memory & concentration
- Improved immune system
- Better mood and reduced depression
- Higher energy
So, you can see that while it can be temping to skip sleep to be more productive, it can actually do the opposite. It can leave us more tired, less focused, more hungry and prone to overeat, meaning you might work slower, remember less, and perform worse at work and in workouts. By sleeping more, you may just get the same amount done in less time! I know I personally am faster at work and have much better workouts when I’m well rested, rather than finding myself zoning out at the computer when I’m tired or trudging through a workout. Plus, I’m always hungrier and wanting more sweets when I’m tired. When I’ve slept a lot, I have much more control over my food and cravings and tend to eat less.
How to Get More Quality Sleep
- Turn of phones, computers, electronics and anything emitting blue light an hour before bed
- Turn down lights before bed and keep your room as dark as possible or use an eye mask
- Diffuse lavender essential oil and/or spray it on your pillow and bed
- Stop drinking caffeine after noon (or cut it altogether!)
- Lie on an acupressure mat for 10-15 minutes mat before getting into bed
- Get a good, comfortable and supportive mattress (nothing too soft that you’ll sink into, eventually leading to back pain)
- Keep your room cool. The ideal sleep temp is between 60 and 67 degress, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
- Use “cool” pillows and mattress that are designed with air flow that keeps your bedding feeling cool, like the company Casper offers
- Read before bed to help you fall asleep
- Avoid alcohol, which will help put you to sleep but messes up your REM sleep
